Bright Future Primary School

Our visit to Bright Future Primary School was unique in that it was within the community we were living in (less than a mile from our house, in fact). This allowed us to meet with the head teachers and students more intimately; we came across both head teachers multiple times walking along streets and were happily stopped by students who recognized us. 

With a capacity of about 250 students, Bright Future mixed primary school is located in Funyula constituency, Busia County. Through the leadership of Mr. Omwodo Washington, the institution has a teacher-student ratio of 1:50, with classrooms having an average of 50 pupils. 

As we arrived at the school, we were immediately struck by the lack of infrastructure. The school only has two small buildings and has a significant shortage of desks. After talking with the headmasters, they confirmed our concerns; they faced a significant lack of educational materials for the students and identified a lack of government funding as a primary culprit. Consequently, they were forced to send students who couldn’t afford school fees home. As we had heard from townspeople, these barriers to education prevented many children from eventually escaping poverty. 

Further probing of school facilities revealed more issues. The facility had two toilets to serve the entire population. This posed a significant danger, especially to students who are most prone to communicable diseases. The headteachers acknowledged their inability to maintain proper procedures, as funds were so limited. 

The team gathered the entire school in the main courtyard to discuss general hygiene mental health, and menstrual health. Students were engaged in all three discussion topics, and all age groups were quite willing to participate. Teachers were also invested in the student’s education, quizzing them after each presentation and promising to incorporate our teachings into their daily classes. It was incredibly inspiring to see this administration’s passion for their community in the face of difficulty and lack of visibility. Students were excited about the gifts we brought, including 150 pads, 60 crayons, pencils, and sharpeners (which they loved the most by far).